Releasable pivot joint



Feb. 26, 1935; MAMME 1,992,708

RELEASABLE PIVOT JOINT Filed March 8, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 j6 x/jj J71/ve71/Z07" fly hzlslziorneys W w Feb. 26, 1935. L, MAMMEN 1,992,708

RELEASABLE PIVOT JOINT Filed March 8, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZW/UeTI/ZOT Feb. 26, 1935. w; L. MAMMEN 1,992,708

RELEASABLE PIVOT JOINT Filed March 8, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 3 fnvenior \By 77/63 16 iZorn/eys Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE RELE AS'ABLE PIVOT JOINT Wolmer L. Mammen, Minneapolis, Application March 8, 1933, Serial No. 660,006

7 Claims. (01.. 287-100) This invention relates to pivot joints.

It is the. general object of this invention to provide novel and improved means of cheap and simple construction for pivotally connecting one part to another, while permitting ready disconnection of the parts. i

It is a more detailed object of the invention to provide a noveland improved pivot joint for use in awning fixtures and analogous devices- The objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear fromv the following. description, made in connection. with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer tothe same or similar parts throughout the various views and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a pivot joint embodying the present invention used for connecting the bow of: an awning to a window frame, parts of the awning being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 ahorizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the; arrows, certain parts being shown inone position in full lines and in another position in dotted lines;

Fig. 3. is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig- 4 is a view in side elevation illustrating a second embodiment of the. invention, some of the parts shown in one position in full lines and in another position in dotted. lines;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a similar view to Fig. 7, but illustrating certain of the parts in a different relation;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section through the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8;

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the embodiment shown. in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view in side elevation of a fifth embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 13 is a. plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 13 as indicated by the arrows.

Referring first to the. embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there is provided a bracket A having a pair of spaced parallel fork arms 15. and 16, respectively, integrally formed with a connecting portion 17, which portion is of greater length than the arms 15 andlfi and is provided with apertures adjacent its endsto receive screws 18 which may be used forsecuring .the bracket as to a window frame 19-. Thereis also. illustrated one end of an awning how 20 which is of such size as to be received be- 5 tween the two arms 15 and 16. The two arms 15 and 16 and the end of the bow 20 are provided with pivot pin apertures to receive the inner'portion of an angularly bent pivot pin 21, having a pivot portion and a handle portion set at right 10 angles thereto. This pin has 9. lug 22 on its pivot portion preferably formed integrally therewith as by pinching outwardly a portion of the, material forming the pin, or, if desired, this lug may beformed by otherwise deforming aportion of 15 the pin or. .the lug may be independently formed and attached to the pin. A housing 23 having a central aperturetherein concentric with the pivot pin apertures oi the arms 15 and 16 but of slightly greater diameter than these apertures, is formed outwardly from the arm 16 by reversely bending a number of tabs integrally attached to the arm 16. This housing forms a wall or arm spaced outwardly from the arm 16 and in this wall or .arm thereis formed a notch 24. joining the pin aperture inthe housing and of i proper size to receive the lug 22 to permit sliding movement of the luginwardly into the chamber of the housing through the notch and outwardly from the wall of the housing through the 30 notch when the lug is. properly alined with the notch. The notch 24 preferably extends inwardly from the ,pin receiving opening in the housing, as best shown in Fig. 2. A sleeve 25 encircles a portion of the pivot pin 21 and this sleeve is provided with a flange 26 whichfits within the housing 24 at all times. The sleeve is also provided. with an elongated notch 27 extending from the inner end of the sleeve. to adjacent the outer end thereof and of such size as to receive the lug 22 of the pin 0 21 to permit sliding movement of the pin relative to the sleeve for some little distance. Preferably the sleeve. 25, as illustrated, will be formed from a stamping of sheet metal, the said stamping in.- cluding two tabs overlapping each other to form the end of the. notch 27. A spring wire latching bail 28 is pivotally. mounted at its ends within. apertures formed in the top and bottom walls of the housing and this bail is bent as illustrated to fit over the handle of the pivot pin 21 and retain the same from rotation under resilient tension when the handle is turned inwardly as shown in full lines in the drawings.

Assuming that the parts are assembled, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3, the bow 20 can befreely swung upwardly or downwardly on the pivot pin 21. Movement of the bow will not turn the pivot pin as the latching bail 28 will prevent this turning movement by reason of its engagement with the handle portion of the pin. When it is desired to release the end of the bow 20 from its connection with the bracket A, the latching bail 28 will be swung off the handle portion of the pin 21 from the full line position shown in Fig. 2, to the dotted line position there illustrated. The pin may then be turned through 180 or to such a position that the lug 22 is in line with the notch 24. Of course, the sleeve 25 will be turned with the pin 21. The pin 21 may then be slid outwardly to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 2, to carry the lug 22 from within the housing 23 to a position outwardly from the housing. Outward sliding movement of the pin will be limited by engagement of the flange 26 of the sleeve 25 with the wall of the housing 23 after the lug 22 has been carried into engagement with the end of the notch 27. Sliding outward movement of the pin is sufiicient to carry the inner portion of the pin completely through the pin aperture in the end of the bow 20 whereupon, of course, the end of the bow may be moved from its position between the two arms 15 and 16 of the bracket A. The manner of reconnection of the end of the bow 20 to the bracket A is obvious.

The how 20 will, of course, normally be received within an elongated pocket 29a of an awning 29, as illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 1. The pocket portion of this awning may be equipped near its end with an eyelet 29b and as the bow is connected to the bracket A, this eyelet 29b may he slipped over the handle portion of the pin 21 prior to the time that the latching bail 28 is connected to this handle portion. When the eyelet 29b is thus connected to the handle portion of the pin 21, it will be seen that the awning is retained from sliding movement on the bow, as the bow is raised or lowered.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, a bracket B is shown very similar in construction to the bracket A and having spaced parallel fork arms 30, and 31 respectively, a connecting portion 32 and a housing 33 formed integral with the arms 31 to provide a wall disposed in spaced relation from the arm 31. Alined pin receiving apertures are provided through the arms 30, and 31 and the wall of the housing 33 and this wall of the housing is provided with a notch 34 to permit sliding movement of a lug 35 carried by an angularly bent pivot pin 36 having a pivot portion which projects through the various pin receiving apertures. In this embodiment of the invention the pivot pin can be completely removed from the bracket B, but to prevent the pin from accidental removal, there is provided a gravity actuated latching bar 37 which extends through vertical openings in the top and bottomwalls of the housing 33. This latching bar is preferably of square or other polygonal shape in cross section and the openings through the housing receiving the bar are of similar shape so as to prevent turningmovement of the bar. Heads are preferably provided at the ends of the bar and the bar is made of somewhat greater length than the height of the housing 33, so that it may be slid upwardly and downwardly relative to the housing. The bar is provided with a lug receiving notch 38 which faces the pivot pin 7 36 but is normally below a position where the lug maybe received therein when the lug is so disposed as to be alined with the notch 34. The pin is normally held in this lowered position by gravity and in such position the bar will prevent the lug from being alined with the notch 34 and, 2.0-- cordingly, the pin 36 cannot be removed until the latching bar is raised to such a position that the two notches 34 and 38 are alined. When the bar is so raised, the lug 35 will be received within the notch 38 and, accordingly, the pin 36 may be removed.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 a third embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In this embodiment there is-provided a bracket 0 which is almost identically similar to the bracket 13 of the second modification. This bracket 0 includes spaced parallel fork arms 39 and 40, a connecting portion 41 and a housing 42 formed integral with the arm 40 and having a pivot pin receiving opening in its outer .arm or wall alined with pivot pin receiving openings in the two arms 39 and 40. There is also provided a lug receiving notch 43 in the outer wall of the housing 42 to permit movement of a lug 44 carried by a pivot'pin 45 of angular shape therethrough. To prevent complete removal of the pivot pin 45 from the bracket 0 and at the same time to provide a latch for the pivot pin when the pivot portion thereof extends between the two arms 39 and 40 and connects the end of a bow 20 to the bracket, there is provided a U- shaped member 46 formed of spring material. This U-shaped member has an inner forked arm 4611 which is received within the housing 42 and straddles the pin 45 and it is provided with an outer arm 46b which is apertured to receive the pin. This outer arm has corrugations or grooves 460 on its outer surface. The lug 44 is of such sizethat when it is received betweenthe arm 40 and the outer wall of the housing 42 it fits rather tightly within the housing. When the handle of the pivot pin 45 is swung to the position shown in Fig. '7 and in Fig. 9 in full lines, the handle will tightly engage the outer surface of the arm 46b of the member 46 to fit within one of the corrugations 46c and place the member 46 under spring tension. The pin, accordingly, will be held or latched under spring tension to preventrotation of the same. When it is desired to release the end of the bow 20 from the bracket C, it is merely necessary to turn the pin 45 through approximately 180 to aline the lug 44 with the notch 45 whereupon the pin may be slid laterally outwardly to the dotted line position Fig. 9. The member 46 will also have limited lateral sliding movement and this member will prevent complete disengagement of the pin from the bracket while allowing the pivot portion of the pin to be withdrawn laterally sufiiciently to permit removal of the end of the bow 20 from between the arms 39 and 40 of the bracket.

In Figs. 16 and 11, a fourth embodiment of the invention is shown, this embodiment including a bracket D of quite similar construction to the brackets A, B and C. This bracket D includes spaced parallel fork arms 47 and 48 integrally formed with a connecting portion 49. Integrally connected to the arm 48 is a housing 50, the outer wall or arm of which has a pivot pin receiving aperture alined with pivot pin receiving apertures in the two arms 47 and 48. This outer wall of the housing also is provided with a lug receiving notch 51' joining the pin aperture therein and withwhich a lug 52 carried by a pivot pin53 may be alined. for removal of the pivot pin from the bracket D. This pivot pin 58 is substantially of Jformati0n, the handle of the pin being of angular-shape to provide a short end portion. 53a parallel with the pivot portion of the pin. The rear edges a of the outer-wall of the hous ing 50 are diagonally inclined, as best shown in Fig. 10, so that when the lug 52 of the pivot pin is disposed between the arm 48 and the outer wall of the housing 50', the end 5300 of the'pivot pin will strike a portion of the edges 50a to prevent complete revolution'of the pin relative to the housing. Accordingly, when the end of the bow 20 is attached to the bracket D, the pivot pin 53 may be swung in such a position that the end 53 thereof engages one of the edges 50a, preferably the upper edge, and there will be very little tendency for the pin 53 to rotate. In other words, the end 53a cooperates with the edges 50a to form a type of latch for the pin. Preferably the lug 52 will be made of such a size that it will frictionally engage theouter surface of the arm 48 and one or more tabs forming the housing 50 resiliently to further prevent free rotation of the pin.

. In Figs. 12, 13and 14, a fifth embodiment of the invention is illustrated. A rod 54 having a forked end with two parallel fork arms 55 and 56 is shown. These two fork arms 55 and 56 have alined the pin apertures to receive an angular pivot pin 57 carrying a projecting lug 58. A tubular member 64 having a flattened solid end adapted to be received between the fork arms 55 and 56 is also illustrated and this end of the member 64 is also apertured to receive the pivot pin 5'7. There is provided, in accordance with the invention, a clip bracket E having a flat wall 59 and a pair of angularly bent oppositely opposed arms 60 integrally connected thereto to embrace one of the fork arms, as the fork arm 56 of rod 54. A spring pressure arm 61 is also formed integral with the wall 59 and this arm after projecting downwardly from the wall, is reversely bent on itself upwardly to bear against the outer surface of the arm 56 and exert spring tension against the same to move the bracket E away from the arm 56. A pin aperture is provided in the wall 59 in alinement with the pin receiving apertures of the fork arms 55 and 56 and a notch 62 formed in the Wall 59 joins the pin aperture therein. The notch 62 is of proper size to permit the lug 58 of the pin to be moved therethrough when properly alined. The inner surface of the wall 59 is provided with a lug receiving recess 63 to receive the lug 58 when the lug is turned through 180 from alinement with the notch 52. When the pin 57 is disposed in the position shown in the drawings, the lug 58 will be received within the recess 63 and the wall 59 will be under resilient pressure to move toward the forkarm 56. Accordingly, the pin will be resiliently latched against free rotation, when the lug 58 is carried to a position between the fork arm 56 and the wall 59. As the pivot portion of the pin is carried through the pin receiving apertures in the arms 55 and 56, the pin may be turned to spread the wall 59 from the wall 56 slightly to place the Wall under resilient tension to move inwardly toward the fork arm 55. It will be seen that the spring clip E may be attached to any fork forming one member of a pivotal joint without difficulty.

The invention may be embodied in many other structures not illustrated. A device embodying the invention may be used in connection with any type of releasable pivot joint. In each form of the invention the two members pivoted together may be'readily connected and disconnected.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in J the; form, details, arrangement and proportions of. the various parts without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:-

1. A pivot joint comprisinga member having fork arms, and a third arm spaced laterally from the outer side of one of said fork arms, a member having an end adapted to be received between said fork arms, said end, said third arm and said fork arms having pivot pin apertures therethrough, a pivot pin normally extending through all of said apertures, a lug carried by said pivot pin, said third arm having a notch joining the pivot pin aperture therein to permit movement of said lug therethrough when said pin is turned to aline the lug with said notch and means cooperating with the lug and the third arm for preventing detachment of said pin from said first mentioned member, said means being arranged to permit longitudinal sliding movement of said pin from a position wherein it extends between said fork arms to a position wherein it does not extend between said fork arms.

2. A pivot joint comprising a member having fork arms and a third arm spaced laterally from the outer side of one of said fork arms, a member having an end normally received between said fork arms, said end, said third arm and said fork arms having pivot pin apertures therethrough, a pivot pin normally extending through all of said apertures, a lug carried by said pivot pin, said third arm having a notch joining the pivot pin aperture therein to permit movement of said lug therethrough when said pin is turned to aline the lug with said notch, a U-shaped member having a portion extending between said third arm and the fork arm adjacent thereto and also having a portion outwardly disposed from said third arm, said last mentioned portion being apertured and receiving said pivot pin through said aperture.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, said pivot pin having an angularly bent handle which frictionally engages the last mentioned portion of said U-shaped member when said lug is turned through a part of a revolution out of alinement with said notch.

4. The structure defined in claim 2, the first mentioned portion of said U-shaped member being forked and straddling said pivot pin.

5. The structure defined in claim 2, said pin having an angularly bent handle, the last mentioned portion of said U-shaped member having a number of corrugations therein with which said handle is adapted to engage when said lug is disposed between said third arm and the fork arm adjacent thereto and the pin is turned to a certain position with the lug out of alinement with said notch.

6. A pivot joint comprising a member having fork arms and a third arm spaced laterally from the outer side of one of said fork arms, a member having an end normally received between said fork arms, said end, said third arm and said fork arms having pivot pin apertures therethrough, a pivot pin normally extending through all of said apertures, a lug carried by said pivot pin, said third arm having a notch joining the pivot pin apertures therein to permit movement of said lug therethrough when said pin is turned to aline the lug with said notch, a sleeve encircling said pivot pin and projecting through the pivot pin aperture in said third arm, said sleeve having an outturned flange fitting between said third arm and the fork arm adjacent thereto,'saids1eeve having a lug receiving slot therein within which said lug is disposed for sliding movement of said pin relative to said sleeve.

'7. A pivot joint comprising a member having fork arms and a third arm spaced laterally from the outer side of one of said fork arms, a member having an end normally received between said fork arms, said end and said third arm and the fork arms having pivot pin apertures there: through, a pivot pin normally extending through all of said apertures, a lug carried by said pivot pin, said third arm having a notch joining the pivot pin aperture therein to permit movement of the lug therethrough when said pin is turned to aline the lug with said notch, said pivot pin having an angularly bent handle and a spring latching bail pivoted to said first mentioned member and engageable with said handle to prevent rotation of said pin.

WOLMER L. MAMMEN. 

